Functional foods from animal agriculture in relation to nutrition and health

Functional foods can be defined as foods containing bioactives that provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition. Substantial research has examined phytochemical bioactives; however, there is also interest in bioactives from animals. Functional foods of animal origin are due to the bioactives present in foods such as eggs, dairy, meat and fish. This presentation will introduce and overview the concept of functional foods and outline the uniqueness of animals as a source of bioactives for functional foods. Specific animal-derived functional foods will then be examined and related to nutrition and human health.

Keywords: functional foods, bioactives, animal foods, nutrition, human health.